2012 CHEVROLET VOLT Owners Manual

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Climate Controls 8-3
Climate Touch Screen Controls
A. Driver and Passenger Auto Heated Seats
B. Air Delivery Mode Controls
C. Auto Recirculation
D. Manual Recirculation
E. Outside Air Temperature Display F. Climate Modes: Fan Only, ECO,
Comfort
G. Climate Power Gauge
H. Manual Fan Control
I. Temperature Setting Display
J. Air Conditioning Indicator
K. Heat Status Indicator Climate Control Touch Screen
The climate mode, fan, air delivery,
recirculation, and auto heated seats
are controlled by pressing the
CLIMATE button on the center stack
and viewing information in the
center stack display.
Climate Mode Operation
There are three climate mode
settings: Fan Only, ECO, and
Comfort. These settings adjust the
impact the climate control system
has on the vehicle's electric range
or fuel economy.
To select a climate mode:
1. Press CLIMATE on the center
stack.
2. Press the climate mode button on the touch screen. The climate
mode will be lit.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
8-4 Climate Controls
Fan Only Mode:The air
conditioning and electric heat are
turned off. As long as
0is not
selected, the climate control settings
may not have a noticeable effect on
the vehicle electric range and fuel
economy.
When in Fan Only mode, the AUTO
indicator light will be off. When
AUTO is selected in Fan Only
mode, the mode will change to
either ECO or Comfort.
When in Fan Only mode, the air
conditioning system may turn on
automatically if the high voltage
battery is being cooled. The climate
control system could blow cold air.
This is normal. To prevent cold air
from blowing into the interior, turn off
the fan control and select the vent
mode and manual recirculation
mode, and close the air vents.
When in Fan Only mode, if Auto
Defog is enabled, the air
conditioning and electric heat may
turn on when high humidity
conditions exist. See “Climate andAir Quality”
underVehicle
Personalization on page 5‑56 for
more information on the Auto Defog
selection. The air conditioning may
also run if
0is selected.
ECO Mode: The air conditioning
and electric heat are controlled to
balance comfort with fuel economy.
As long as
0is not selected, the
vehicle electric range or fuel
economy will decrease less than in
Comfort mode, but will result in
moderate comfort.
Comfort Mode: The air
conditioning and electric heat are
controlled to reach the best comfort
level based on the temperature
setting selected. In this mode,
vehicle electric range or fuel
economy will decrease depending
on the amount of energy required to
reach the best comfort levels.
Climate Power Gauge
When the climate mode is changed,
the Climate Power gauge displays
the impact that user setting changes
have on energy consumption. The
higher the reading, the more energy
is being used.
Air Conditioning/Heat Status Indicators
The air conditioning/heat status
displays when the air conditioning or
electric heat is being used.

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Climate Controls 8-5
The air conditioning and electric
heat could be on at the same time
when dehumidification is required in
ECO or Comfort modes.
In Fan Only mode, occasionally the
air conditioning and/or heating
status will be on if the Auto Defog
function is enabled and high
humidity is detected. See“Climate
and Air Quality” underVehicle
Personalization on page 5‑56, for
details on enabling or disabling the
Auto Defog function.
The air conditioning may also run if
0is selected, regardless of the
climate mode.
Automatic Operation
The system automatically controls
the fan speed, air delivery mode,
and recirculation to heat or cool the
vehicle to the selected temperature.
When the AUTO indicator light is
on, the system is in full automatic
operation. If the air delivery mode, fan speed, or recirculation setting is
adjusted, the AUTO indicator turns
off and the selected settings display.
For automatic operation:
1. Press AUTO.
2. Set the temperature. An initial
setting of 23°C (74°F) is
recommended. Allow the system
time to stabilize. Adjust the
temperature as needed.
Q/R(Temperature Control):
Press to increase or decrease the
temperature.
Auto Defog: The system will
monitor high humidity inside the
vehicle. When high humidity is
detected, the climate control system
may adjust to outside air supply and
turn on the air conditioner or the
heater. The fan speed may slightly
increase to help prevent fogging.
When high humidity is no longer
detected, the system will return to
its prior operation. To turn Auto Defog off or on, see
“Climate and
Air Quality” underVehicle
Personalization on page 5‑56.
Manual Operation
A(Fan Control): Press the fan
control buttons or the touch screen
fan control, to increase or decrease
the fan speed. The fan speed
setting displays. Pressing either
button cancels automatic fan control
and the fan can be controlled
manually. Press AUTO to return to
automatic operation. Press the fan
down button repeatedly to turn off
the fan and the climate control
system.
If the fan is manually turned off
while in ECO or Comfort mode, the
display will automatically change to
Fan Only mode. When the fan is
turned back on either by manually
increasing fan speed or pressing the
AUTO button, the climate mode will
revert back to ECO or
Comfort mode.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
8-6 Climate Controls
Air Delivery Mode Control:Press
CLIMATE to select the Climate
touch screen. Press the air delivery
mode touch screen button to
change the direction of the airflow.
The selected air delivery mode
button is lit. Pressing any of the air
delivery buttons cancels automatic
air delivery control and the direction
of the airflow can be controlled
manually. Press AUTO to return to
automatic operation.
To change the current mode, select
one of the following:
Y(Vent): Air is directed to the
instrument panel outlets.
\(Bi-Level): Air is divided
between the instrument panel
outlets and the floor outlets.
[(Floor): Air is directed to the
floor outlets.
-(Defog): Air is directed to the
windshield and floor outlets. Clears
the windows of fog or moisture.
0(Defrost): Air is directed to the
windshield. The windshield is
cleared of fog or frost more quickly.
Selecting
0will disable automatic
control and the AUTO button
indicator will not be lit.
Selecting
0again will return to the
previous climate settings.
For best results, clear all snow and
ice from the windshield before
defrosting.
If
0is selected in Fan Only or
ECO mode, air conditioning or
electric heat may turn on and have
a noticeable effect on vehicle
electric range and fuel economy.
AUTO
h(Auto Recirculation):
Press to allow the system to
automatically choose the air supply
mode for best performance in terms
of comfort, efficiency, and
defogging. Air is recirculated or
outside air is pulled into the vehicle.
The touch screen button is lit.
h(Manual Recirculation):
Press to alternate between
recirculating air inside the vehicle or
pulling in outside air. When
selected, the touch screen button
lights up to indicate that air is being
recirculated. This helps to quickly
cool the air inside the vehicle or
prevent outside air and odors from
entering.
Pressing this button cancels
automatic recirculation. Press AUTO
or AUTO
hto return to automatic
operation; recirculation runs
automatically as needed.
Manual recirculation mode is not
available when in Defrost or Defog
modes.
M/L(Manual Heated Seats): If
available, the controls are on the
center stack. To operate, the vehicle
must be on.
Press
MorLto heat the driver or
passenger seat cushion and
seatback. For more information, see
Heated Front Seats on page 3‑6.

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Climate Controls 8-7
MAUTO/LAUTO (Auto Heated
Seats): If available, the controls
are on the touch screen on the
center stack.
Press the touch screen
LAUTO or
MAUTO button. The button color
will change to green when this
feature is on. When the vehicle is
on, this feature will automatically
activate the heated seats at the
level required by the vehicle's
interior temperature. The active
high, medium, low, or off heated
seat level will be indicated by the
manual heated seat button lights on
the center stack. Use the touch
screen buttons or the manual
heated seat buttons on the center
stack to turn auto heated seats off.
For more information, see Heated
Front Seats on page 3‑6.
Rear Window Defogger
=(Rear Window Defogger):
Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off.
The rear window defogger turns off
automatically after about
five minutes. If turned on again, it
runs for about five minutes before
turning off. The defogger can also
be turned off by turning the
vehicle off.
For vehicles with heated outside
rearview mirrors, they turn on when
the rear window defogger button is
on and help to clear fog or frost from
the surface of the mirror. See
Heated Mirrors on page 2‑17.
Notice: Do not try to clear frost
or other material from the inside
of the front windshield and rear
window with a razor blade or
anything else that is sharp. This
may damage the rear window
defogger grid and affect the
radio's ability to pick up stations
clearly. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. Remote Start:
For vehicles with
this feature, the climate control
system may be started by using the
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter. The climate control
system will default to an appropriate
heating or cooling mode. See
Remote Start on page 2‑8.
The rear window defogger turns on
if it is cold outside.
Compressor
The vehicle has an electric powered
air conditioning compressor. This
allows for continuous air
conditioning and/or high voltage
battery cooling operation, without
running the engine.
The compressor operating speed is
not tied to the engine speed, so
some noise may be heard from the
compressor, especially when air
conditioning use is high and the
engine has turned off. This is
normal.

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
8-8 Climate Controls
Sensors
Solar Sensor
The solar sensor is located on top of
the instrument panel, near the
windshield, where it monitors solar
intensity.
The climate control system uses the
sensor information to adjust the
temperature, fan speed,
recirculation, and air delivery
mode for best comfort.
Do not cover the sensor; otherwise
the automatic climate control system
may not work properly.Humidity Sensor
The humidity sensor is near the
base of the inside rearview mirror.
The climate control system uses the
sensor information to adjust the
temperature and recirculation for
best comfort.
Outside Air Temperature Sensor
The outside air temperature sensor
is located behind the front grille of
the vehicle. The vehicle uses the
sensor information to display
outside air temperature. The climate
control system uses the information
to adjust the climate system
operation.
Air Vents
Use the louvers on the air vents to
change the direction of the airflow.
Use the thumbwheels near each
vent to open and close off the
airflow.
Operation Tips
.Keep all outlets open whenever
possible for best system
performance.
.Keep the path under all seats
clear of objects to help circulate
the air inside the vehicle more
effectively.
.Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better EnergyEfficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-9
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-12
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-17
Power Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Starting and Stopping the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Electric Vehicle Operating
Modes
System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Electric Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Extended Range Mode . . . . . . 9-24
Driver Selected OperatingModes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Out of Fuel/Engine Unavailable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Maintenance Modes . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Electric Drive Unit
Electric Drive Unit . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . 9-34
Regenerative Braking . . . . . . . . 9-36
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-42
Rear VisionCamera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Charging
Plug-In Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Delayed ChargingOverride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Charging Status Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2012
9-2 Driving and Operating
Charge Cord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Utility Interruption ofCharging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-58
Electrical Requirements for Battery Charging . . . . . . . . . . . 9-58
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-59
Gasoline Specifications (U.S.
and Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-60
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-62
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-64
Towing
General Towing
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-64
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-65
Driving Information
Driving for Better Energy
Efficiency
Use the following tips to help
maximize energy efficiency and
range.
Driving Style
Efficiency Gauge (Instrument
Cluster)
The ball indicator should be kept
green and in the center of the
gauge.
Inefficient acceleration is indicated
when the ball turns yellow and
travels above the center of the
gauge.
Aggressive braking is indicated
when the ball turns yellow and
travels below the center of the
gauge. Acceleration/Braking/Coasting
Avoid unnecessary rapid
accelerations and decelerations.
Electric range is maximized at
80 km/h (50 mph) and below. Higher
speeds use more energy and can
significantly reduce electric range.
Use cruise control when
appropriate.
Plan ahead for decelerations and
coast whenever possible. For
example, do not rush to traffic
signals.
Do not shift to N (Neutral) to coast.
The vehicle recovers energy while
coasting and braking in D (Drive)
or L (Low).
Drive Mode and PRNDL Selection
Use Normal Mode when possible.
Sport Mode provides more
responsive acceleration than
Normal Mode but can reduce
efficiency.